Chance Encounter
by Michelle167
Summary: Shepard and Kaidan have a chance encounter before the events of ME. Mild Shenko.
1. Chapter 1

After recent spoilers revealed by the ME2 streaming vids and on the Bioware site(the thread Bioware - DLC - ME1 LIs) I'm afraid the shenko is looking a little heartbreaking. I wanted to get this piece in as quickly as possible since I can't guarantee, after what I've read thus far, I will want to write this was on my desktop...the last of my rough drafts I've decided to put it out there. Hopefully the game will inspire me despite what I've heard.

This was actually two fics that I put together that became a character piece...of sorts. The first part with Shep was going in a much different direction(it was meant to be sort of a horror story but it never panned out). I had made her a pill popping junkie, but when I put it together with Kaidan's piece the addiction part didn't work so well, so the drugs in the dream quickly became a knife. It's four chapters so again it's one of my longer pieces meaning no twists...just a straight fic.

Please I do not want to offend anyone with my depiction of Dallas and Texas...the wiki described the Texas Megapolis area as one that was still very much like the 20th century...pollution filled etc...I simply built upon what the wiki said.

Basically this is a chance encounter between Shepard and Kaidan before the beginning of Mass Effect. Rated T. Some gritty portrayal at the first but I don't thing it goes overboard.

I do not own Bioware.

Chance Encounter

The clock was frozen...one minute to midnight. It was always the same.

The darkened bar, a drink in her hand. She could never remember what it was though, just that it dulled the pain.

"Never a bartender...who pours these drinks?" she wondered.

The breeze from the ceiling fan that blew against the back of her head barely moved the wet matted hair that clung to her head.

She knew she looked a mess. It didn't matter...it never did.

Click...click...click. The uneven blades of the fan knocked against its frame. The sound was comforting.

The bar was empty except for her and the man.

Baylin was it? Or was it Balisk? She could never remember?

His dark sunken eyes gazed at her knowingly.

The expensive clothes that clung to his emaciated frame had the faint aroma of a citrus based cologne.

The smell would have been pleasant if the undertones of burnt flesh and blood didn't waft from just below it.

He took a drag on his cigarette. Coolly and calmly, he offered it to her.

"No thanks, I've quit," she said flatly.

He pulled a blood crusted knife from his pocket and laid it on the counter.

Cigarette between his fingers, he tapped at the tip of the blade as if to say, "Take it."

"I'm not interested," she whispered, shaking her head no.

Tilting his head slightly to the side, he pushed the knife closer. The tip of the blade gently sliced open the edge of his finger and blood dripped onto the counter.

He smiled, knowingly.

Beads of sweat began to form on Shepard's forehead and her hands began to shake.

Tap...tap...tap.

He tapped the counter drawing her attention closer to the knife.

She grabbed for it , blindly thrusting the sharp blade into the man's chest. The blood spread across his shirt even as his shrill laughter pierced the empty air.

"Good girl," he growled, "Now that wasn't so hard was it."

* * *

Shepard woke in a cold sweat.

Beep...beep...beep.

"Was that the alarm?" she thought.

She looked to the clock on her bed stand. It read one minute to midnight.

"Not the alarm," she thought.

The light on her personal comm link was blinking.

"Who would be calling this late at night?" she wondered.

"Yeah," she mumbled, as she lifted the small comm unit to her lips.

"Commander Shepard, this is Captain Anderson," the solemn voice said.

There was no reason to question the Captain as to why he was calling so late. Shepard already knew. Her assignment had been simple. Meet her contact and report back to Anderson as soon as possible, unfortunately her contact had never shown. Exhausted due to waiting so long she had returned to her hotel room intent on taking a short nap before contacting the Captain. According to the clock her nap had been four hours long.

"Contact never showed Captain," Shepard reported.

"Damn!' he swore.

"Do you want me to try to rearrange a meeting, sir?" she asked.

"No...I need you to report to the base on Titan," Anderson said, unexpectedly.

"Sir?" Shepard asked.

"I'll explain when you get here. Just make it as fast as you can." he said.

"Yes sir." she responded.

"Until then, Commander," Anderson ended the conversation with the comm link going dead.

Shepard had been in the Texas Megapolis on the pretense of shore leave. Why anyone would come here on purpose she failed to understand, but the destination got a steady stream of tourists throughout the year...some for the many historical sites...others for the various sexual entertainment facilities that dotted the landscape.

Yawning, she was taken back to her nightmare. It wasn't the first time it had occurred. The dream had been a frequent visitor since the death of her parents on Mindor.

For years she had blamed it on her L2 implants, after all the dreams had lessened in frequency after she had been retrofitted with a L3. The excuse failed however after Torphan. The nightmares had returned violently.

Her quick rise in the ranks had brought a responsibility that begin to weigh heavy, and cracks formed in her well disciplined exterior. Her reputation quickly moved from one of restrained efficiency to reckless ruthlessness in one battle.

The little orphan girl from Mindor had done well at least in the eyes of her superiors. As far as they were concerned, she got the job done. Little did they suspect that she had literally cracked at Torphan.

In her delirium to destroy the Batarians she had lost most of her unit. She had even killed those who had surrendered. What had the alliance expected...the batarians had been responsible for the slaughter of everyone she had ever loved. The incident had earned her the nickname the Butcher of Torfan though few would say it to her face.

Shepard looked at the clock. It was five past twelve.

"No use going back to sleep," she thought. "It's already morning."

"Might as well get ready to head out," she mumbled to herself, " Give me a chance to get something to eat."

The thought of food caused her to think of her mother, a slight woman who had very little appetite. She had always been shocked at the amount of food her daughter could put away. At the time she hadn't known what a biotic was, or that her only child might be one.

The memory caused Shepard to wrinkle her forehead. To this day she could not clearly picture her parents' faces. It disturbed her more than she liked to admit.

Flipping on the bathroom light, she was startled by her reflection in the mirror. Underneath her disheveled appearance an attractive woman stared back at her.

More than one guy had commented on her good looks ,but she rarely thought about it. Soldier's didn't have time to worry over such things. The mission was to be their primary focus.

"Primping and preening is for beauty queens...not Alliance military," she thought.

Looking at her uniform she furrowed her brow, " But we are supposed to neat."

"Did I go to sleep in this?" she asked herself, examining her attire.

After a quick shower, it was soon replaced with a crisp uniform. Looking in the mirror for a quick inspection, she slicked her hair back and nodded in approval.

"Much better."

The rat infested hotel room was already nothing more than a memory, as she stepped out into the brisk cold night air. She was temporarily blinded by the numerous flashing neon signs that littered the skyway, advertising everything from the latest colonization project to the newest prostitution house.

"The cesspool of Earth," she thought. "Lovely...New Calcutta is much nicer"

Or so she had heard. She had never actually been there.

"The stench of sewer was the next thing she noticed. It speedily filtered into Shepard's nostrils.

"God, that's awful," she sputtered, as her nose wrinkled in distaste.

She caught her reflection in the window as she passed by the lobby of her hotel. Her frame looked considerably thinner than when she had first arrived. Although her biotic metabolism had been raging for food, she had found that the myriad of smells permeating the streets usually left her unable to consume very much. She was hoping she would be more successful farther away from the city.

The San Antonio Exchange had to be the answer. Surely she could find a decent meal there while she waited for her connection to Titan.

"Hey, Baby!" Shepard was roused out of her thoughts.

The man waved at her as she passed by.

"Where ya going, sweetness? How bout a ride...my money's good," the man called out.

Shepard leered at the man with her steel blue eyes, her form stretching out in a military stance.

Flicking her hand, a biotic wave went forth, throwing the man against the wall. He slumped to the ground.

Purposely, Shepard walked over and leaned down putting her face in his.

Sneering she said, " How's that for a ride?"

She could hear the man mumble something about "Damn biotic freaks" when she walked away.

She would have taken it up with him if she had the time, but she had a connection to make.


	2. Chapter 2

Kaidan motioned to the soldier at his left to move forward. Responding, the young private quickly passed the Lieutenant and dropped out of sight.

"Come on Stevens, let's wrap this up quickly," he thought.

If the Private was successful, Kaidan could be on his way home within the hour. It had been nearly 6 months since his last shore leave and that had been cut short by several days. He was looking forward to some time off.

The labored breathing of his second squad member caught his attention.

Chief Johnson wasn't as young as Kaidan, and he was certainly a lot older than Stevens. Sweat was pouring down the older man's face.

"Looks like he's put on a few pounds too," thought Kaidan.

It was just last year that Johnson had turned 40, and the once agile soldier seemed to be slowing down.

Perhaps at 32 it shouldn't have bothered Kaidan, but it did. He breathed, ate, and slept the Alliance. He didn't want to wake up in 8 years in the same position as Johnson, 40 and alone, but he couldn't help the feeling that he was hurtling down the same path.

The older man wiped his forehead with the back of his sleeve.

"Yeah, it's hot." Kaidan mumbled softly.

Johnson grunted in agreement.

For some reason the cooling system on the ship was out. The temperature had to be at least a 100 degrees.

"How much longer Stevens?" wondered the Lieutenant.

Stevens was an engineer...a good one. His finale test scores had even been higher than Kaidan's...not that it mattered to the private anyway. Fresh out of training, he had been thrilled to work with a biotic. He was one of those rare individuals who saw biotics not as freaks but as something to actually be desired. He had even shown his disappointment at not having any biotic abilities himself. It was only when he found out that his new commanding officer was a sentinel that he seemed to accept his role as a tech. If a biotic could be a tech then being a tech must not be something to be taken lightly.

Johnson had not taken to Kaidan as easily. His view of biotics was not as favorable, and it had taken several months before he could even relax around the Lieutenant. In the end Kaidan's all business approach to their missions won the older man's respect.

Stevens peered around the corner beckoning the two soldiers forward. The shields were down.

Kaidan would hold back on his biotics until the fighting became heavy. To have to recharge in the heat of battle would have been a mistake. After two years of serving together Johnson was aware of this, so he took the lead. His firepower would be needed up front.

Rounding the corner, a pirate emerged from behind a crate.

Johnson let go of a round from his assault rifle. The bullets spewed across the chest of the slightly balding pirate cutting him in half. The noise of the gunfire alerted the other pirates in the cargo hold.

"Intruders!" one of them yelled .

Two more pirates emerged from a stack of boxes on Kaidan's left. Stevens used neural shock on one of them and began to hammer away at him with his pistol. Kaidan fired away at the other one with his own weapon.

Johnson quickly advanced through the stacks of crates that littered the floor. A flood of pirates rushed forward...a total of eight in all.

"Lieutenant!" shouted Johnson.

Kaidan sprinted to the source of the Chief's voice. Flipping his wrist up, seven of the eight pirates went flying up in the air.

"Damn, I missed one," thought Kaidan.

The one left standing was quickly taken out by Johnson as Kaidan began emptying rounds into the other seven who were above him. Stevens caught up and he too was shooting at their helpless attackers.

Only two made it back down to the ground alive. Jumping to their feet they begin to retreat towards the back of the cargo hold for better cover.

"No, you don't," Kaidan said under his breath.

Pushing his hand forward, the two men went skirting across the floor. Johnson took out one, Kaiden the other. The room fell into silence just as fast as it had erupted into chaos.

"All clear, Lieutenant," said Johnson as he took a sweep of the room.

Kaidan nodded his head.

"Look for survivors," the Lieutenant ordered.

Several minutes later, a mother and a young boy were found hiding in a compartment hidden on the bridge. How they had squeezed in there Kaidan couldn't guess. As Johnson radioed for someone to pick them up, Kaidan tended to their wounds. The two served as another reminder to Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko that there was something missing in his life.

* * *

It had been days since he and his team had rescued mother and child from the pirates. Sitting comfortably on the balcony of his parents beach house, he silently watched as the waves lapped against the rocks, the crisp Vancouver air complimenting the pristine view.

"Not like that hell-hole I stopped at on the way here," he thought, referring to the San Antonio Exchange. As far as Kaidan was concerned, The Texas Megapolis was not a tourist attraction in the least. It was dark, dreary,polluted and laden with crime.

"It wasn't all bad," he thought, as a slight smile crossed his lips.

She was tall...almost as tall as him...a little on the thin side but not unhealthy looking in any way. Even without the Alliance issued military uniform she would have stood out. The color of her shoulder length hair, which she wore neatly tucked behind her ears, matched Kaidans, a striking contrast with the clarity of her deep blue eyes which could even be seen from clear across the room. He noticed immediately that she had caught the attention of several men in the lobby, but it was Kaidan that had caught her eye.

Uncomfortably, Kaidan shifted his gaze. He quickly turned his attention to some weathered old magazines that littered the table in front of him. Such things would have been a rarity in Vancouver, long ago being replaced with Extranet Stations, but they seemed to be common place in the Texas Megapolis. Quickly grabbing one without looking at it's cover, he recalled a rumor that they actually still published magazines somewhere nearby in the city.

"You into that sort of stuff?" the voice asked.

The cover of the magazine in Kaidan's hand was graced with an Asari dressed in a gray business suit.

He turned beat red. Looking up at the tall brunette that flanked him he stuttered, " No I...I..j just picked up the first thing I saw."

"You mean me or the magazine," she teased.

Normally, Kaidan would have been turned off by such forwardness...he liked to take his time...let the relationship build...he wasn't interested in one night stands. Despite his misgivings he felt drawn to her.

Registering the hesitation on his face, the woman apologized, " I'm only joking...I get it...You picked up the magazine to avoid me."

"I wasn't avoiding," he protested. He didn't want to come off as some emotional cripple who couldn't talk to a beautiful woman. "I simply didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

"So why were you looking anyway?" she asked.

He had seen it at least a dozen times...off duty soldiers flirting with their co-workers only to wind up with a black eye or worse yet an accusation of sexual harassment. Telling her the obvious reason, that he found her attractive, seemed too risky.

'The uniform?" he thought.

No...that would lead to a professional conversation rather than a personal one.

"Your a biotic," he blurted out.

A dark shadow passed over her face, and Kaidan silently cursed himself as he wondered if he had said the wrong thing. Recognizing others like himself, especially disciplined military biotics, was not difficult. They bore the unmistakable mark of their training in their walk, their stance, and even in their mannerisms. If identification by sight failed, sensitivity to mass effect fields would usually suffice to make up for it. There had been numerous occasions when Kaidan could tell a biotic by nothing more than an inner awareness, although he wasn't sure if all biotics possessed the same ability.

It was something he kept to himself and something that he never discussed with anyone, not even other biotics. He didn't want people jumping to conclusions and declaring the old myths true...that biotics could read minds, along with a lot of other nonsense, like controlling peoples thoughts and having special sexual abilities.

The shadow passed from her face and was replaced with a curious smile, "Good guess. But I would guess the same of you."

She had been sizing him up.

"Yes Ma'am," he replied. It was out of his mouth before he could think.

She arched her eyebrow.

"And a soldier to boot," she stated, surprised.

Kaidan was disappointed. It had turned to the military too fast.

"What rank?" she asked.

Kaidan dreaded to answer. He had noted that she had a Commander's insignia. Because of the complications of fraternization many officers refused to associate with anyone of lower rank even outside of the job for fear that it would bleed over into work and lead to disaster.

"Staff Lieutenant," he said dryly.

"Well, Lieutenant do you know where I could find some food around here?" she asked.

"Huh," Kaidan mumbled. The question flustered him. He had expected her to make her excuses and leave.

"Take the hall to the right," he said, pointing "there's a cafe just around the corner. I can't say it's good. I just saw it on my way in. I don't usually come through the San Antonio Exchange."

She stared off in the direction of the cafe, yet her eyes glossed over as if she were somewhere far away.

Casually, she asked, "Where are you headed?"

"Vancouver," he answered.

"I've heard it's a pretty place," she said , maintaining that far off look.

"Yeah, My parents have a beach house there. I haven't been home in a while and thought I'd take my shore leave there...really need a rest this time around." he answered.

Her attention refocused on him, and she smiled.

"Shore leave sounds nice," she stated.

"Yeah," he muttered. Kaidan was sure she was losing interest, but what did he expect...that he would just meet a beautiful woman out of the blue and that they would fall in love and live happily ever after. What was he thinking? The rescue of the mother and her child must have had a bigger impact on him than he thought.

"You coming?" she asked, "I hate eating alone."

"Uh...yeah...sure," Kaidan answered surprised.

"Perhaps she hasn't lost interest after all," he thought. The idea added an extra spring in his step as the two headed towards the cafe.

"You think this place can handle two hungry biotics?" she teased.

Smiling broadly, Kaidan was about to answer when an announcement came over the outdated com system.

"Now boarding for Vancouver. Flight 615 to Vancouver."

Kaidan hung his head and muttered a barely audible, "Damn."

"Your flight, huh," she said, knowingly.

"Yeah...fraid so," he said, sighing in disappointment.

He backed away not wanting to take his eyes off her. She mimicked his motions. An awkward moment occurred when they froze not more than 10 feet apart, their eyes locking on each other as they had earlier. This time Kaidan did not look away.

"Hey! I didn't get your name," she said as she resumed backing away.

"Alenko, Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko!" he shouted. "and yours?"

"Commander Amanda Shepard!" she shouted, and moved out of his view.

"Shepard?" Kaidan mumbled, " the Butcher of Torfan?"

He couldn't reconcile the face with the legend. She didn't look like someone who got most of their unit killed and then turned to slaughter surrendered prisoners.

Sitting on the balcony of his parents house he still puzzled over the inconsistency between the woman he had met and the soldier he had heard about.

* * *

She ate half-heartedly. She had wanted company, and the good looking guy across the waiting area had fit the bill...biotic and a soldier to boot. Then fate had intervened and his flight had been called.

"Do I have to be so unlucky in love," she whispered to herself in between bites. The food was bland, but she was so hungry. She intended to wolf down every bite.

She could count the number of relationships she had since joining the Alliance on one hand. Either they couldn't handle her lifestyle ,not being military themselves, or they were military, and their assignments kept them so separated that it was too frustrating to keep trying. None had evolved into anything serious, and all had ended rather abruptly... the last one over the Torphan incident. Her intended had decided that dating the Butcher of Torphan wasn't good for his career.

"So much for love," she thought as she recalled the rather cruel conversation that transpired between the two the day he decided to dump her.

Ironically, being the Butcher of Torphan led her to promotion, while her ex's own career had stagnated. Over the years she had kept up with his files not out of a sense of loss or desire, but simply because she wanted him to suffer for all the hurtful things he had said to her that day. She gleefully rejoiced every time she heard he had been passed over for promotion.

"Serves him right," she muttered under her breath, as she shoveled in another mouthful of food.

She seriously thought she had given up on relationships when she found herself making a beeline for the man in the waiting area. Her feet seemed to have a life of their own.

It turned out that he appeared rather shy...a rarity that turned Shepard into a moth and him into a flame. The fact that he seemed taken aback at her aggressive flirting was also rare. Most men would have been all over her, but not him. If she got the chance to see him again she would enjoy finding out exactly what would drive him over that edge...what would it take for him to lose control.

The possibilities brought a wicked little smile to the corners of her lips as she envisioned a 'not for prime time' picture of Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko.

"I do love a challenge," she thought.

Her imaginations faded as her surroundings came into focus. She was almost through with her meal when she once again realized she was eating alone.

"Damn that flight being called when it was," she swore.

The only consolation to losing her dinner date was that she had gotten his name. It wouldn't have been much to anyone else, but to someone who had clearance to Alliance military personnel files it was everything. She would definitely be looking up Lieutenant Alenko's files when the opportunity presented itself.


	3. Chapter 3

"I haven't seen that look on your face since you were a teenager," the voice interrupted.

Mia Alenko's sudden appearance startled Kaidan out of his thoughts. The short slender woman wore her hair cropped close to the chin, a style she had appropriated when she turned 50.

_"Even Asian women eventually get gray hair...Harlen," she had told her husband._

_"Dye it then," he had protested when she insisted on cutting it._

But as usual, Mia had won, and her long locks had been traded for the chic short bob.

"Mom, I didn't hear you walk up...you spying on me now?" Kaidan asked with a slight chuckle.

"Maybe I need to...it seems to be the only way I know what's going on in your life," she answered.

Kaidan could see the curiosity starting to brew in his mother's eyes...it was a look he wasn't particularly fond of.

"One mission after another...you know the drill," he responded.

Mia Alenko did indeed know the drill. For years she had been drug from outpost to outpost following her husband. The day of celebration she had planned for when he retired had been marred by her concern for her young son...she was convinced something wasn't right with him.

_"The boy's fine Mia...you worry too much," Harlen had said._

_"I'm his mother...it's my job to worry!" she had argued back._

Despite the elder Alenko's assurances that the boy was fine, Mia constantly took him from one doctor to another. Her fears were exacerbated by the numerous reports of children conceived in Singapore at the same time as Kaidan who had either died of brain tumors near birth or a few years after. She was determined it wouldn't happen to her only child.

_"What about Singapore and the brain tumors?" she had asked Harlen._

_Sighing he would answer, "The only thing wrong with that boy is he eats like a horse...I don't know where he puts it all."_

The argument had always ended the same way with Harlen bringing up Kaidan's ungodly appetite, and Mia walking off in a huff.

"You have someone in your life." Mia's eyes lit up as she studied her adult son.

"No...Mom...no one." he said, seriously. A knot grew in the pit of his stomach...he knew where this was going.

"But that look on your face...I know that look... I know my son," she argued.

"I've just got a little crush on the Butcher of Torfan that's all. It's okay...we'll get married, and on our wedding night she'll cut me up into a hundred little pieces." Kaidan thought sarcastically.

He hated it when his mother started in on his love life. She had even once asked him if he were gay. After two hour of intense arguing he had finally convinced her that he liked women by revealing intimate and embarrassing details about a relationship he had with a female sentinel early in his career.

_"Okay...but I would love you even if you liked men," she had said._

He had felt like screaming.

_"I'm straight mom," he had replied._

_"but if you weren't..." she had started._

_"Mom!" Kaidan had yelled._

And like the pro Mia Alenko was she changed the subject to something as equally flustering...something Kaidan himself had given her ammo for.

_"Why didn't you marry her?' had been his mother's question._

_"Marry who?" he had asked, puzzled._

_"The young lady...the sentinel," she answered._

Catherine Ann Tauran had been a looker. Heads had turned when she walked down the street, and Kaidan had felt a certain sense of pride at having her on his arm. They had gotten along well enough, and the relationship was pleasant, but unlike Rhana there had been no spark...no fire. The truth was he simply didn't love her. The only reason he had selfishly let it go on for as long as he had was because the sex was incredible...a fact that caused him to remember the relationship with a sense of nagging guilt.

_"I didn't love her, mom," Kaidan had answered._

_"Why did you sleep with her then?" she had continued._

_"What the hell was I thinking telling her about Catherine?" Kaidan had thought._

At the time Kaidan had realized his mother would have made an excellent interrogator.

A scream formed in his throat, "Because I was horny, Mom...because I wanted to..." but he held his tongue.

The relationship had ended badly with Kaidan's standard issue Alliance uniform's slashed at the hands of one enraged ex-girlfriend. Instead of reporting her to the brass, he had simply paid to replace them out of his own pocket in part because he didn't want to deal with the fallout that he had broken the rules against fraternization and also because he felt it was his fault. Since that time he had vowed not to enter into a relationship again unless it was love.

His refusal to answer his mother's question only fueled her imagination in the area of the absurd.

_"Did the two of you even do anything? Don't tell me...are you impotent?" _He felt like he had been mowed down by a mako. He couldn't believe she would ask such a thing.

Kaidan had stormed out of the house, gleaning amused glances from his parents neighbors as his mother yelled after him about some Asian herbs she knew of that could cure his little problem. In his embarrassment he had rode around for 6 hours before returning home, and until this day still couldn't look the neighbors in the eye.

"Still no one...You okay?" Mia Alenko asked curiously..

Fear of the impotency conversation rearing it's ugly head again, Kaidan inadvertently blurted out, "Okay, I met someone!"

"Who? What does she do? When are you bringing her to dinner?" Mia spouted, excitedly.

"Oh God...I've done it now." he thought.

"Mom, I just met her. We haven't gotten that serious, yet. I don't want to spook her with too much at once," Kaidan explained. He hated using the Commander this way, but he really needed a way out.

"You'll let us know when it does become serious, yeah?" she asked.

"When what becomes serious?" the booming voice of the elder Alenko interrupted the duo as he walked out onto the balcony.

"Kaidan has finally found someone!" Mia beamed.

Even retired, the elder Alenko's presence commanded respect. Ten years Mia's senior, Harlan Alenko had all the energy of someone half his age, nevertheless Kaidan had noticed a slowing down as of recent. Side by side, one would not be able to tell the father/son pair were related. At almost a foot taller and with a much heavier body frame...both a result of his Russian heritage, Harlen Alenko towered over his son.

The beard his father had grown brought an inward snicker to the Lieutenant...one he would never voice out loud.

"He looks like a lumberjack," thought Kaidan.

His mother had protested when her husband had started growing it, "I don't like hair on the face...it looks unkempt." to which Harlen replied, "If you can cut your hair then I can grow a beard." And the war had begun.

Each time Kaidan had seen his parents, his mom's hair was a little shorter, and his dad's beard a little longer. One thing you could say about the Alenko's...they were consistent.

Kaidan had not always gotten along with his father. The Alenko's had waited to have children because they wanted a much more stable environment than that which military life could offer. Harlen was just short of an early retirement, and Mia was almost 35 before Kaidan had been conceived.

Despite his assurances to his wife that their growing young son was as healthy as a horse, Harlen Alenko worried. Something about the boy wasn't just right. He ate constantly yet had trouble gaining weight. He seemed to build up an enormous amounts of static electricity which Harlen could have sworn occasionally discharged in an arc of blue light from his son's hand. He hadn't wanted to admit it, but slowly fear had built up, and Harlen Alenko had become as much afraid of his son as he was for his son.

Through connections he maintained with old friends in the Alliance, He had learned about biotics in Kaidan's early teens. The information was still classified, but with some persuasion the elder Alenko had learned all he needed to know to realize that his son was indeed a biotic. It was the first time Harlen Alenko had come to blame the military for any of his misfortunes. He suspected that not only was the Alliance responsible for his son's condition, but they might also be responsible for his wife's inability to have more children after Kaidan. Who knew what exposure to eezo might have resulted in?

His knowledge of his sons true condition caused him to view his son with suspicion, and the loving father/son relationship that should have existed deteriorated to one of strained tolerance. By the time Kaidan was 16 he had become rebellious and the elder Alenko had to admit he felt relief when his son had been hauled off for BAAT...an event that left him to care for a very hysterical Mia.

The relationship remained unrepaired even upon Kaidan's return, and the younger Alenko seemed to seek out trouble even more so than before. Harlen spent nearly half his pension keeping his son's name off the record and out of the paper. When Kaidan made the decision to join the Alliance he changed for the better. The sweet dutiful loving son had indeed returned home, but Harlen felt he could rejoice in little of it...he still blamed the military for what had happened. It was only years later, after Kaidan had received many commendations and had slowly moved up the ranks that Harlen finally let go of his bitterness. It seemed that his son's abilities had served to help him in life, and despite some people's misgivings about biotics in the long run they had turned out to be a blessing. Harlen Alenko was finally proud of his son, and the once strained relationship between the two was mended.

Harlen looked at his son with a defeated look.

"Found someone? My, God Kaidan, please don't tell me you told her that," the older man said.

"Sorry Dad," Kaidan responded.

"You get to leave in two weeks, I live with her full time. I'll never hear the end of this," Harlen said exasperated.

Shrugging his shoulders, Kaidan again apologized to his dad. They exchanged a knowing look as Mia Alenko began to ramble on about grandchildren. Kaidan was silently thankful that unlike his father, after two weeks he could indeed leave.


	4. Chapter 4

"Captain," Shepard saluted.

"At ease, Commander," Anderson said.

"Sorry about the contact, Sir," she apologized.

"Forget it Shepard. I have a new assignment for you," he answered.

Anderson had always been impressed with Shepard. She always got down to business...got the job done, left no stone unturned. He had defended her when the upper brass had questions about her behavior at Torfan, partly because he had felt responsible. It had been his error in judgement that had not taken Shepard's past into account...the fact that her parents had been killed by the Batarians. Sending her into that situation was an open door to old wounds. He hoped that in some ways recommending her for the Spectres would make up for it.

"I've been assigned to be over the test run for the SSV Normandy. It's the new ship we've been working on with the Turians. I've added you to the roster," Anderson explained.

Shepard's surprise registered on her face.

"Is something wrong, Commander?" asked Anderson.

"It's just that I...well it's just that...a test run on a new ship isn't normally my kind of assignment, Sir," answered Shepard.

Anderson smiled. He knew he would have to come up with something. He couldn't tell her about the beacon or the Spectres...not just yet.

"Consider it a break. A reward for your dedication to the Alliance. Eden Prime is one of our stops on the way. I might even give the crew a few days shore leave there. It's a beautiful place. We'll also be traveling to the citadel. I don't believe you've ever been." Anderson put as much truth in his explanation as he could.

"No...No I haven't," she admitted.

"It won't be a long test run. You'll be back in action in no time," he continued.

"When do we ship out?" she asked.

"Two weeks," he answered.

"And in the meantime?" she continued.

The image of Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko flashed in the back of her mind. It would only take a few inquiries to find the location of his parents in Vancouver.

"Could I be that bold?" she thought to herself.

"I know what your thinking," Anderson said.

"No you don't," she thought as images of the Lieutenant danced in her mind.

"Two extra weeks...perhaps a shore leave...I know it sounds nice, but I've instructed the training facility here to test your skills...see want you can improve on." Anderson hoped she wouldn't inquire any further into the matter.

"Figures," she thought, "once again...unlucky in love."

Nodding her head she responded with, "If that's all Captain, I'll get started on that right now."

"That's all Commander...dismissed," he answered.

As Shepard left, a twinge of guilt nagged at the Captain. He didn't like leaving his soldiers out of the loop, but the beacon and Shepard's possible role in the Spectres was on a need to know basis, and as far as he was concerned she didn't need to know just yet.

* * *

Anderson walked down the hall to his office. Thus far, Shepard was the only soldier he had picked for the Normandy's maiden voyage.

The long list of candidates would have to be narrowed down, and he was determined it would be finished today. He began to mentally evaluate the criteria needed for the mission when his train of thought was lost due to the fact that surprisingly he found Shepard sitting at his desk.

"Captain Anderson, I hope you don't mind. I was just looking up someone in personnel," explained Shepard.

It wasn't unusual for someone of Shepard's rank to dive into soldiers personnel files since they often picked their own teams. Anderson just wondered...why now? Shepard wasn't scheduled for a mission until the Normandy, and she wouldn't be picking the crew on that one...he would.

She must have noted his puzzlement.

"Just a soldier I met while on assignment. I'm afraid I'm a curious sort , Captain...maybe even a little nosy. I have a tendency to check up on people. It's an intrusive habit, but I've found that on occasion I've come across an asset or two...a soldier that would be a perfect addition to an assignment." Shepard lied.

She hoped that it put Anderson off enough that he wouldn't figure out that she was checking up on someone she was interested in.

"I understand," he said, "I've done that a few times myself, but if you'll excuse me I really need to get some work done," The Captain nodded towards his desk.

"Sorry, Captain." she said taking her leave.

In her haste to leave the room, she forgot to close Alenko's file.

* * *

"I wonder who she was checking up on?" he thought, as he seated himself in his chair.

The information was staring him back in the face.

"Alenko...Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko...where do I know that name?" he wondered.

"Sentinel...biotic abilities...excellent...tech abilities...excellent," Anderson mumbled as he went over the file.

His eyebrow raised as he read the list of accomplishments and commendations on the record.

"How is this guy only a Lieutenant?" he wondered, but he already knew. Sometimes the assignment is what got you recognition. Torfan had gotten that for Shepard. This Alenko may have had many difficult assignments, but nothing that was high profile like Torfan or Akuze.

"What a shame...do everything by the book and still the promotion's are few and far between," Anderson thought. The acknowledgment of glitz over substance in the military had always bothered the Captain. He would take a good solid soldier over the poster boys any day. Luckily Shepard was both. He couldn't have recommended her otherwise.

"Alenko...Alenko..." The name continued to bother him.

In the corner of the document he noted the classified symbol. It was something that Shepard would not have had access to.

"Rank has it's privileges," he muttered.

Anderson clicked on the symbol and typed in his pass word.

A dossier of information floated up on the screen.

"Kaidan Alenko...age 17...fitted with an L2 cybernetic implant year 2167"

"Part of the old Baat program." thought Anderson.

" 2169 Kaidan Alenko...age 19 kills instructor Vyrnnus after an incident. Baat training facility closed due to political pressure. Conatix folds. Subject refuses further training despite potential"

"Alenko...so that's where I remember that name from." he thought.

Anderson remembered the talk about the closing of Baat. So many rumors filled the airwaves as to what had really happened. The files had been shut, but among the Alliance brass there were a few in the know. He had only been a Lieutenant himself at the time, and had heard the name Alenko entirely by accident. His superior had been on the comm link when he had walked in.

_"Can't you get Alenko to change his mind...he killed a Turian with one a biotic kick for God's sake," his commander had said._

_"He's determined to leave, and we're ready to let him. The political implications are too big. If he stays I'm afraid the Turians would be asking for his head," the voice on the other end of the comm link replied._

_"Fine...We'll talk later." His commanding officer ended the conversation as he realized Anderson was standing there._

_"That's why I hate politics, Anderson. The military always loses out when they come into play. Don't repeat anything of what you just heard, understand." he said as he turned to the Lieutenant._

_"Yes sir." Anderson had replied. And as far as he could remember he had never heard or or spoke the name Alenko again until today._

"2173 Kaidan Alenko...joins Alliance military...refuses retrofit for a L3-R...classified as L2...minimal complications from implant...migraines and sensitivity to light...subject classified as stable...classification Sentinel"

Anderson had no idea that the kid who had caused such a stir back then had joined the Alliance only a few years later. That took guts...most of the kids who didn't lose their minds in the Baat program held a grudge against the Alliance for what had been done to them. This one had turned his life around and made something of it. Anderson was impressed. Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko hadn't even been on the Captain's radar, but Anderson found himself selecting his file for assignment on the Normandy.

"I hope the rest of these are just as easy," he whispered.

He checked the list of candidates..

He quickly selected Dr. Evelyn Chakwas. He had worked with her on several tours and respected and trusted her abilities.

XO Pressley came next...a good dependable soldier.

" Lieutenant Jeff "Joker" Moreau....a bit of a loud mouth," thought Anderson.

He had seen the guy at flight school long after he had established himself as one of the best pilots there. Anderson had actually been contacted by one of the instructors to come take a look a him. The young pilot had proven himself despite the odds and had obtained a goal that was far out of reach even for those without a handicap. The only problem was he couldn't keep his sarcastic mouth shut.

"A small price to pay, I suppose." Anderson spoke out loud, " I guess I can put up with that mouth of his as long as he can make that bird fly."

"Jenkins...just recently graduated...originally from Eden Prime...might be useful to have someone who knows the lay of the land."

Despite his worry, Anderson filled up the roster for the SSV normandy rather quickly.

He thought about telling Shepard about his selection of Kaidan Alenko and quickly dismissed it.

"She'll eventually find out," he thought, "Probably be thankful to have someone so capable having her back. With Jenkins being a rookie, Alenko will definitely come in handy."

Taking a swig of coffee he kicked back and put his feet on his desk.

It was going to be an interesting assignment.


End file.
